Changeable exhibitor.



J. G. DAVIS.

CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4, 1916.

$32,236. Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- If YOUR NAME APPEARS BELOW oALL AT DESK F01? MEJAGE.

INVENTOR VWITN gs JAM/e5,

ATTORNEY J. -G. DAVIS.

CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1916.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR Joifl Q Ja /es ATTORNEY hibitor of the above stated JOHNGJDAVIS, OF KEN'ILAND; IN DIANA.

I GHANGEAIBLE EXHIBITOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed Novcmber 4, 1916. Serial No. 129,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN G. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kentland, in the county of Newton and State of Indiana, haveinvented. certain new and useful Improvements in Changeable Exhibitors,of whichthe following is a spec- .ification.

. This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements inchangeable exhibitors.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a formof changeable exhibitors which may be readily substituted for the callboard now in general use in hotels and other public places.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a form ofcall board or changeable exhibitor which may include one or more movablemembers upon which may be mounted cards with names of parties for whommessages are left with the operator or attendant.

For a further object, the invention contemplates the provision of achangeable excharacter in which the rolls for the names beginning withdifferent letters may be independently thrown into operation or out ofoperation as desired, a main driving shaft for all of the rolls beingoperated by a single motor or from a'single source of power.

For a further object, the invention contemplates theprovision of achangeable exhibitor of this character which will be of extremely simpleand inexpensive construction, easily operated and highly eiiicient inuse. p

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which likedesignating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical transverse section through aportion of the device to show a corresponding friction drive for eachroll or exhibiting belt.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of two of the exhibiting belts and. themounting and driving means for the same and,

Fig. 4 is a view at right angles to Fig. 3. showing a slightly modifiedform of the invention.

Referring more in] detail to the drawings, 1 designates a plurality ofendless exhibiting belts which are mounted upon the roller sections 2adapted to rotate upon the support ing shafts 3, said shafts 3 beingpreferably arranged one above the other, as shown in Fig. 3.

The driving means for the belts 1 and rollers 2 will presently bedescribed.

'Mouuted upon the outer face of each exhibiting belt 1 and arranged inspaced relation. are the card holders 4. extended transversely of thebelt and secured by suitable securing means passed through the openings5 formed therein. Each holder 4 is composed of a plate formed ofsuitable material and having its opposite or longitudinal edges bentback over the body of the same to form guides 6 for a card to be placedin position or removed from the holder 4, by way of either end of thesame.

A main driving or friction roller 7 is positioned parallel to therollers 2 and may be driven from any suitable source of power, notshown. Driving connection is made between the roller 7 and each roller2. by

.means of a friction roller 8 suspended in the bifurcated end 9 of thesuspending lever 10. Each lever 10 is mounted upon a suitable pivot 11and has a bent end 12, which is normally retained in one position bymeans of a spring 13 connected therewith and with the casin-g 141 orsome other stationary support. The spring 13 serves to retain the roller8 in engagement with the roller 7 and the roller 2 adapted to be drivenby said roller 8. thereby causing rotation of said roller 2 uponrotation of the roller 7 and in the same direction. WVhen it is de siredto disconnect any roller 2 from the roller 7 the drive wheel 8 for saidroller 2 is drawn away from the same by swinging the lever 12 upon itspivot 11. The lever 12 and roller 8 may be locked in inoperativeposition by engagement of the latch 15 carried by said end 12 with acomplementary latch 16 carried by the casing 14 or other support.

When a number of endless exhibiting belts are applied, they may bearranged in the supporting frame 17, as indicated in Fig. l withvertical strips 18 extended upwardly from the front board of the frameand supporting a transverse or horizontal strip 19, upon which mayappear the letters of the alphabet arranged in sets above the differentbelts 1 to indicate the first letters of the names which may be foundupon the different belts 1. One or more additional transverse orhorizontal strips 20 should also be provided above the strip 19 withwords thereon to attract the attention of parties approaching or passingthe device and instruct them to call at the desk for a message if theirname appears upon one of the belts. It will therefore be evident thatany party desiring to communicate with another party may have the nameof the second party placed upon the proper belt and leave a message atthe desk for said party.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention inwhich a single exhibiting belt 21 is employed and connected around theupper and lower rollers 22. The

pulley 23 is formed with the upper roller.

22 to receive the drive belt 24: which also extends around a smallpulley 25 on the main shaft of the motor or other driving member 26. Therollers 22 are mounted in a suitable support 27, which also includes ashelf 28 for supporting the motor 26 and the front wall 29 provided withan opening 30, through which the names upon the exhibiting belt 21 maybe observed. The lower roller 22 is also mounted in bearing blocks 31which are adapted to be adjusted in the guides 32 by suitable adjustingmeans 38, to regulate the tension of the exhibiting belt 21.

l/Vhile the forms of the invention shown and described are what arebelieved to be c 1. A changeable exhibitor comprising a belt, rollersfor said belt, a drive member for said belt, a friction roller forconnecting said drive member with one roller of said belt, suspendingmeans for the friction roller, means for resiliently retaining saidfriction roller in operative position, and means for locking saidsuspending means and said friction roller in inoperative position.

2. A changeable exhibitor comprising supported rollers, an endless beltmovable on the rollers, a rotatable driving element, a lever pivotallymounted adjacent the driving element, a second driving element carriedby the lever adapted to be engaged with the first mentioned drivingelement and one of the rollers for imparting movement to the endlessbelt, means urging the lever to a position whereby the second mentioneddriving element will be operatively engaged with the first mentioneddriving element and said roller, and means normally retaining the leverin a position where the second mentioned driving element will not engagethe first mentioned driving element.

3. In a changeable exhibitor a casing, rollers supported in the casing,an endless belt movable around the rollers, a rotating driving elementalso mounted in the casing, av

lever pivotally mounted in the casing and projecting through oneside ofthe same, a second driving element carried thereby and adapted to beoperatively engaged with the first mentioned driving element and one ofthe rollers, a spring urging the lever to a position where the secondmentioned driving element will be operatively engaged with the firstmentioned driving element and said roller, a latch member mounted on thecasing, a second latch member fixed to the lever adapted to be engagedwith the first mentioned latch to normally retain the latch in aposition where the second mentioned driving element will be renderedinoperative.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. DAVIS.

Witnesses.:

. WARREN T..McCRAY, 7

Autos D. MORRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe (Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

